The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1887-01-04
TESTERS LATEST.
He Receives Christmas Present
Which Creates n Sensa-
ton.

Ever body knows Jack Lester
the geulai East End engine r. If
there is anything outside of his engine
that Lester loves it is pretty girl, in
fact he loves the whole female race.
1t Is needless 10 say that Jacks strong
predictions in this direction are not
altogher unreciprocated and that there
is more than one brigh-eyed laSsie
along the line who watches for the
coming Of his train in order to greet
him with an encouraging wave of her
fan or handkerchief. Among the
number are a pair of Misses who re-
side at Syracuse, To WHEN prank or
joke is as natural Is for water to run
down hill. just how they come To
think of it, or why they did it, mat
tiers not. but certain it Is they. con
cluded to make Jack Christmas
present. After LAYING their heads
together they made their selection,
hut i; was not until "Wednesday eve
ming: when Jacks train was home
ward bound, that they were given the
opportunity 10 accomplish the transfer
of the gift. At that time the train
stopped at the station for some thirty
minutes. just after dusk and just
before il pulled our,
A LITTLE BOY
made his appearance at the caboose,
bearing huge paper box, stOutly
wrapped and tied and note contain
ing the compliments OF the season
from he young Misses, and stating
that the gift was TOR Mr.. Lester.
That gentleman was at his post
ahead, the train was about to start
and nothing could be done but to
place the gift in the caboose in char e
of the brakeman and conductor. These
gentlemen were of an investigating
turn of mind as it happened, and
after the train was under way conclud
ed to to see what kind of a prize jack
had drawn that required such IA space,
thinking it could be done unknown to
him, they proceeded to undo the
fastenings anu raise the lid of the box
as il came cautiously up and they were
trying 20 peep in there came 4 sudden
growl from the interior then a rush
which sent the lid flying into their
faces in a manner suggestive of the
SPIRITS FROM PONDERA's Box
or an explosion of a Chicago
dynamite bomb. In an instant the
conductor and brakeman found them
selves sprawling upon the floor while
their ears were greeted with most
unearthly screech and the falling of
everything loose about the car and the
scratching ar the windows which ac-
companied il caused them to spring to
their feet and rush for the cupalo, but
they found themselves followed by the
cries as well as the bodies of the torm-
er occupants of the box and halted not
until they had got through the win
dow and several car lengths ahead
where exhausted and frightened they
SAT DOWN on THE CAR ROOF.
"What do you suppose it is?" ask
ed the conductor.
Il dunno" said the brake
man., catching his breath,
unless its a new kind of a Salvation
Army"
Salvation fddlesticks, replied the
conductor, Il guess it must be a chi
cago dynamiter, and the thing may
go off any moment"
81 wish it would 90 off of that ca
bOose," said the brakeman.
at amt no laughing matter" re-
piled the conductor warmly.
"Who in thunders laughing"
81 guess we had better put on the
brakes and clear out the caboose."
"Then Jack will find out we've been
fooling with his property"
That's so, what shall We do about
| it -"
Just then there emerged from the
ca5oose window
AHUGE OBJECT
yellow, black, white, and verigated d,
with eyes which shone up like the
glare of a headlight in the cleaning.
1t made straight for the conductor
and brakeman, who, with a veil.
sprang 20 their feet and rushed toward
the head OF the train, and as they
did so, they saw emerge from the
other cupalo window, another similar
pair OF eyes. This was too much fOr
them, and sinking on their knees they
began to pray and use all the incan
tations they had ever heard of as
effective in driving off spoOks.
THEN THE EYES DISAPPEARED.
I'll tell you, AL, )" said the conductor,